the discovery of guiana-第10章

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sign　of　any　dwelling；　and　asked　the　pilot　where　the　town　was；　he　told
us；　a　little　further。　After　three　hours　more；　the　sun　being　almost
set；　we　began　to　suspect　that　he　led　us　that　way　to　betray　us；　for　he
confessed　that　those　Spaniards　which　fled　from　Trinidad；　and　also
those　that　remained　with　Carapana　in　Emeria；　were　joined　together　in
some　village　upon　that　river。　But　when　it　grew　towards　night；　and　we
demanded　where　the　place　was；　he　told　us　but　four　reaches　more。　When
we　had　rowed　four　and　four；　we　saw　no　sign；　and　our　poor　watermen；
even　heart…broken　and　tired；　were　ready　to　give　up　the　ghost；　for　we
had　now　come　from　the　galley　near　forty　miles。

At　the　last　we　determined　to　hang　the　pilot；　and　if　we　had　well　known
the　way　back　again　by　night；　he　had　surely　gone。　But　our　own
necessities　pleaded　sufficiently　for　his　safety；　for　it　was　as　dark　as
pitch；　and　the　river　began　so　to　narrow　itself；　and　the　trees　to　hang
over　from　side　to　side；　as　we　were　driven　with　arming　swords　to　cut　a
passage　through　those　branches　that　covered　the　water。　We　were　very
desirous　to　find　this　town　hoping　of　a　feast；　because　we　made　but　a
short　breakfast　aboard　the　galley　in　the　morning；　and　it　was　now　eight
o'clock　at　night；　and　our　stomachs　began　to　gnaw　apace；　but　whether　it
was　best　to　return　or　go　on；　we　began　to　doubt；　suspecting　treason　in
the　pilot　more　and　more；　but　the　poor　old　Indian　ever　assured　us　that
it　was　but　a　little　further；　but　this　one　turning　and　that　turning；
and　at　the　last　about　one　o'clock　after　midnight　we　saw　a　light；　and
rowing　towards　it　we　heard　the　dogs　of　the　village。　When　we　landed　we
found　few　people；　for　the　lord　of　that　place　was　gone　with　divers
canoas　above　400　miles　off；　upon　a　journey　towards　the　head　of
Orenoque；　to　trade　for　gold；　and　to　buy　women　of　the　Cannibals；　who
afterwards　unfortunately　passed　by　us　as　we　rode　at　an　anchor　in　the
port　of　Morequito　in　the　dark　of　the　night；　and　yet　came　so　near　us　as
his　canoas　grated　against　our　barges；　he　left　one　of　his　company　at
the　port　of　Morequito；　by　whom　we　understood　that　he　had　brought
thirty　young　women；　divers　plates　of　gold；　and　had　great　store　of　fine
pieces　of　cotton　cloth；　and　cotton　beds。　In　his　house　we　had　good
store　of　bread；　fish；　hens；　and　Indian　drink；　and　so　rested　that
night；　and　in　the　morning；　after　we　had　traded　with　such　of　his　people
as　came　down；　we　returned　towards　our　galley；　and　brought　with　us　some
quantity　of　bread；　fish；　and　hens。

On　both　sides　of　this　river　we　passed　the　most　beautiful　country　that
ever　mine　eyes　beheld；　and　whereas　all　that　we　had　seen　before　was
nothing　but　woods；　prickles；　bushes；　and　thorns；　here　we　beheld　plains
of　twenty　miles　in　length；　the　grass　short　and　green；　and　in　divers
parts　groves　of　trees　by　themselves；　as　if　they　had　been　by　all　the
art　and　labour　in　the　world　so　made　of　purpose；　and　still　as　we　rowed；
the　deer　came　down　feeding　by　the　water's　side　as　if　they　had　been
used　to　a　keeper's　call。　Upon　this　river　there　were　great　store　of
fowl；　and　of　many　sorts；　we　saw　in　it　divers　sorts　of　strange　fishes；
and　of　marvellous　bigness；　but　for　lagartos　（alligators　and　caymans）
it　exceeded；　for　there　were　thousands　of　those　ugly　serpents；　and　the
people　call　it；　for　the　abundance　of　them；　the　River　of　Lagartos；　in
their　language。　I　had　a　negro；　a　very　proper　young　fellow；　who　leaping
out　of　the　galley　to　swim　in　the　mouth　of　this　river；　was　in　all　our
sights　taken　and　devoured　with　one　of　those　lagartos。　In　the　meanwhile
our　companies　in　the　galley　thought　we　had　been　all　lost；　for　we
promised　to　return　before　night；　and　sent　the　Lion's　Whelp's　ship's
boat　with　Captain　Whiddon　to　follow　us　up　the　river。　But　the　next　day；
after　we　had　rowed　up　and　down　some　fourscore　miles；　we　returned；　and
went　on　our　way　up　the　great　river；　and　when　we　were　even　at　the　last
cast　for　want　of　victuals；　Captain　Gifford　being　before　the　galley　and
the　rest　of　the　boats；　seeking　out　some　place　to　land　upon　the　banks
to　make　fire；　espied　four　canoas　coming　down　the　river；　and　with　no
small　joy　caused　his　men　to　try　the　uttermost　of　their　strengths；　and
after　a　while　two　of　the　four　gave　over　and　ran　themselves　ashore；
every　man　betaking　himself　to　the　fastness　of　the　woods。　The　two　other
lesser　got　away；　while　he　landed　to　lay　hold　on　these；　and　so　turned
into　some　by…creek；　we　knew　not　whither。　Those　canoas　that　were　taken
were　loaded　with　bread；　and　were　bound　for　Margarita　in　the　West
Indies；　which　those　Indians；　called　Arwacas；　proposed　to　carry　thither
for　exchange；　but　in　the　lesser　there　were　three　Spaniards；　who　having
heard　of　the　defeat　of　their　Governor　in　Trinidad；　and　that　we
purposed　to　enter　Guiana；　came　away　in　those　canoas；　one　of　them　was　a
cavallero；　as　the　captain　of　the　Arwacas　after　told　us；　another　a
soldier　and　the　third　a　refiner。

In　the　meantime；　nothing　on　the　earth　could　have　been　more　welcome　to
us；　next　unto　gold；　than　the　great　store　of　very　excellent　bread　which
we　found　in　these　canoas；　for　now　our　men　cried；　〃Let　us　go　on；　we
care　not　how　far。〃　After　that　Captain　Gifford　had　brought　the　two
canoas　to　the　galley；　I　took　my　barge　and　went　to　the　bank's　side　with
a　dozen　shot；　where　the　canoas　first　ran　themselves　ashore；　and　landed
there；　sending　out　Captain　Gifford　and　Captain　Thyn　on　one　hand　and
Captain　Caulfield　on　the　other；　to　follow　those　that　were　fled　into
the　woods。　And　as　I　was　creeping　through　the　bushes；　I　saw　an　Indian
basket　hidden；　which　was　the　refiner's　basket；　for　I　found　in　it　his
quicksilver；　saltpetre；　and　divers　things　for　the　trial　of　metals；　and
also　the　dust　of　such　ore　as　he　had　refined；　but　in　those　canoas　which
escaped　there　was　a　good　quantity　of　ore　and　gold。　I　then　landed　more
men；　and　offered　five　hundred　pound　to　what　soldier　soever　could　take
one　of　those　three　Spaniards　that　we　thought　were　landed。　But　our
labours　were　in　vain　in　that　behalf；　for　they　put　themselves　into　one
of　the　small　canoas；　and　so；　while　the　greater　canoas　were　in　taking；
they　escaped。　But　seeking　after　the　Spaniards　we　found　the　Arwacas
hidden　in　the　woods；　which　were　pilots　for　the　Spaniards；　and　rowed
their　canoas。　Of　which　I　kept　the　chiefest　for　a　pilot；　and　carried
him　with　me　to　Guiana；　by　whom　I　understood　where　and　in　what
countries　the　Spaniards　had　laboured　for　gold；　though　I　made　not　the
same　known　to　all。　For　when　the　springs　began　to　break；　and　the　rivers
to　raise　themselves　so　suddenly　as　by　no　means　we　could　abide　the
digging　of　any　mine；　especially　for　that　the　richest　are　defended　with
rocks　of　hard　stones；　which　we　call　the　white　spar；　and　that　it
required　both　time；　men；　and　instruments　fit　for　such　a　work；　I
thought　it　best　not　to　hover　thereabouts；　lest　if　the　same　had　been
perceived　by　the　company；　there　would　have　been　by　this　time　many
barks　and　ships　set　out；　and　perchance　other　nations　would　also　have
gotten　of　ours　for　pilots。　So　as　both　ourselves　might　have　been
prevented；　and　all　our　care　taken　for　good　usage　of　the　people　been
utterly　lost；　by　those　that　only　respect　present　profit；　and　such
violence　or　insolence　offered　as　the　nations　which　are　borderers　would
have　changed　the　desire　of　our　love　and　defence　into　hatred　and
violence。　And　for　any　longer　stay　to　have　brought　a　more　quantity；
which　I　hear　hath　been　often　objected；　whosoever　had　seen　or　proved
the　fury　of　that　river　after　it　began　to　arise；　and　had　been　a　month
and　odd　days；　as　we　were；　from　hearing　aught　from　our　ships；　leaving
them　meanly　manned　400　miles　off；　would　perchance　have　turned　somewhat
sooner　than　we　did；　if　all　the　mountains　had　been　gold；　or　rich
stones。　And　to　say　the　truth；　all　the　branches　and　small　rivers　which
fell　into　Orenoque　were　raised　with　such　speed；　as　if　we　waded　them
over　the　shoes　in　the　morning　outward；　we　were　covered　to　the
shoulders　homeward　the　very　same　day；　and　to　stay　to　dig　our　gold　with
our　nails；　had　been　opus　laboris　but　not　ingenii。　Such　a　quantity　as
would　have　served　our　turns　we　could　not　have　had；　but　a　discovery　of
the　mines　to　our　infinite　disadvantage　we　had　made；　and　that　could
have　been　the　best　profit　of　farther　search　or　stay；　for　those　mines
are　not　easily　broken；　nor　opened　in　haste；　and　I　could　have　returned
a　good　quantity　of　gold　ready　cast　if　I　had　not　shot　at　another　mark
than　present　profit。

This　Arwacan　pilot；　with　the　rest；　feared　that　we　would　have　eaten
them；　or　otherwise　have　put　them　to　some　cruel　death：　for　the
Spaniards；　to　the　end　that　none　of　the　people　in　the　passage　towards
Guiana；　or　in　Guiana　itself；　might　come　to　speech　with　us；　persuaded
all　the　nations　that　we　were　men…eaters　and　cannibals。　But　when　the
poor　men　and　women　had　seen　us；　and　that　we　gave　them　meat；　and　to
every　one　something　or　other　which　was　rare　and　strange　to　them；　they
began　to　conceive　the　deceit　and　purpose　of　the　Spaniards；　who　indeed；
as　they　confessed　took　from　them　both　their　wives　and　daughters　daily
。　。　。　But　I　protest　before　the　Majesty　of　the　living　God；　that　I
neither　know　nor　believe；　that　any　of　our　company；　one　or　other；　did
offer　insult　to　any　of　their　women；　and　yet　we　saw　many　hundreds；　and
had　many　in　our　power；　and　of　those　very　young　and　excellently
favoured；　which　came　among　us　without　deceit；　stark　naked。　Nothing　got
us　more　love　amongst　them　than　this　usage；　for　I　suffered　not　any　man
to　take　from　any　of　the　nations　so　much　as　a　pina　（pineapple）　or　a
potato　root　without　giving　them　contentment；　nor　any　man　so　much　as　to
offer　to　touch　any　of　their　wives　or　daughters；　which　course；　so
contrary　to　the　Spaniards；　who　tyrannize　over　them　in　all　things；　drew
them　to　admire　her　Majesty；　whose　commandment　I　told　them　it　was；　and
also　wonderfully　to　honour　our　nation。　But　I　confess　it　was　a　very
impatient　work　to　keep　the　meaner　sort　from　spoil　and　stealing　when　we
came　to　their　houses；　which　because　in　all　I　could　not　prevent；　I
caused　my　Indian　interpreter　at　every　place　when　we　departed；　to　know
of　the　loss　or　wrong　done；　and　if　aught　were　stolen　or　taken　by
violence；　either　the　same　was　restored；　and　the　party　punished　in
their　sight；　or　else　was　paid　for　to　their　uttermost　demand。　They　also
much　wondered　at　us；　after　they　heard　that　we　had　slain　the　Spaniards
at　Trinidad；　for　they　were　before　resolved　that　no　nation　of
Christians　durst　abide　their　presence；　and　they　wondered　more　when　I
had　made　them　know　of　the　great　overthrow　that　her　Majesty's　army　and
fleet　had　given　them　of　late　years　in　their　own　countries。

After　we　had　taken　in　this　supply　of　bread；　with　divers　baskets　of
roots；　which　were　excellent　meat；　I　gave　one　of　the　canoas　to　the
Arwacas；　which　belonged　to　the　Spaniards　that　were　escaped；　and　when　I
had　dismissed　all　but　the　captain；　who　by　the　Spaniards　was　christened
Martin；　I　sent　back　in　the　same　canoa　the　old　Ciawani；　and　Ferdinando；
my　first　pilot；　and　gave　them　both　such　things　as　they　desired；　with
sufficient　victual　to　carry　them　back；　and　by　them　wrote　a　letter　to
the　ships；　which　they　promised　to　deliver；　and　performed　it；　and　then
I　went　on；　with　my　new　hired　pilot；　Martin　the　Arwacan。　But　the　next
or　second　day　after；　we　came　aground　again